Editing Worcester, England (section)

===Industrial revolution and Victorian era===
{{see also|History of Worcester#Industrial revolution, Victorian and Edwardian eras}}
[[File:Worcester in 1806. Engraving by J.Roper from a drawing by G.Cole.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Map of Worcester in 1806]]
Worcester in the late 18th and early 19th centuries was a major centre for glove-making, employing nearly half the glovers in England at its peak (over 30,000 people).<ref name="WorcesterGloveMaking"/> employed by 150 firms. At this time nearly half the glove makers in Britain could be found in Worcestershire. In the 19th century, the industry declined as import taxes on foreign competitors, mainly French, were much reduced.

Riots took place in 1831, in response to the defeat of the [[Reform Act 1832|Reform Bill]], reflecting discontent with the city administration and the lack of democratic representation.<ref name="bhoworcester"/> Citizens petitioned the House of Lords for permission to build [[Shire Hall, Worcester|a County Hall]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Journal of the House of Lords: Volume 63, 1830-1831. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, [n.d.]. |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol63/pp836-840#h3-0002 |access-date=4 August 2020 |website=British History Online |archive-date=16 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516180054/https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lords-jrnl/vol63/pp836-840#h3-0002 |url-status=live }}</ref> Local government reform took place in 1835, which for the first time created election procedures for councillors, but also restricted the ability of the city to buy and sell property.<ref name="bhoworcester"/> Political corruption, particularly bribing of voters, was endemic in Parliamentary elections, contributing to a string of [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] victories even against a wider swing to the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberals]], and was investigated in the 1890s and by a [[Royal Commission]] in 1906.{{sfn|Reekes|2019|pp=118-123}}

The [[British Medical Association]] (BMA) was founded in the Board Room of the old Worcester Royal Infirmary building in Castle Street in 1832.<ref name="BMA"/> Corn trading which had taken place in the Corn Market on the east side of the city moved to the new [[Corn Exchange, Worcester|Corn Exchange]] in Angel Street in the mid-19th century.{{sfn|Historic England|1359548}}

The [[Kays Catalogues|Kays]] mail-order business was founded in Worcester in 1889 and operated from various premises in the city until 2007. It was then bought out by Reality, owner of the Grattan catalogue. The Kays warehouse was demolished in 2008 and replaced by housing.{{sfn|Kays Heritage}}

In 1815 the [[Worcester and Birmingham Canal]] opened. Railways reached Worcester in 1850, with [[Worcester Shrub Hill railway station|Shrub Hill]], initially only running to Birmingham. [[Worcester Foregate Street railway station|Foregate Street]] was opened in 1860. The WMR lines became part of the [[Great Western Railway]] after 1 August 1863. The railways gave Worcester jobs building passenger coaches and signalling. Alongside Worcester Shrub Hill station in Shrub Hill Road were the Worcester Engine Works. Their [[Polychrome#19th century polychrome brickwork|polychrome]] brick building was erected about 1864 and probably designed by [[Thomas Dickson (architect)|Thomas Dickson]]. However, only 84 locomotives were built there and the works closed in 1871.<ref>Richard Morriss ''The Archaeology of Railways'', 1999 Tempus Publishing, Stroud. Plate 93 p147</ref> The chairman was [[Alexander Clunes Sheriff]].<ref name=Debrett>[https://archive.org/stream/debrettshouseo1870londuoft#page/248/mode/2up Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1870]</ref>

In 1882 Worcester hosted the Worcestershire Exhibition with sections for fine arts, historical manuscripts and industrial items, receiving over 222,000 visitors.